Bottle cap opener



BOTTLE CAP OPENER Original Filed March 21, 1961 9 F or 22 (D (1) g INVENTOR.

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A rromvers United States Patent 3,241,406 BOTTLE CAP OPENER Leslie B. Fredricksou, 3509 43rd Ave. S., Minneapolis 6, Minn.

Original application Mar. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 97,320, now Patent No. 3,122,950, dated Mar. 3, 1964. Divided and this application July 15, 1963, Ser. No. 295,871

4 Claims. (Cl. 81--3.44)

This is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 97,320, filed March 21, 1961, for Bottle Cap Opener and now Patent No. 3,122,950.

This invention relates generally to wrenches and vises and is more particularly related to devices of the general nature for loosening and removing container covers.

The present invention provides a new, useful and improved device for use, for example, in removing screw threaded container covers. The purpose of the invention is achieved through the use of a minimum number of reliable components which will provide a long dependable life and may be made of materials readily available and which will provide for inexpensive construction and may be easily manufactured. Further, a highly portable and versatile device results from the unique combination of component parts. The present invention will also provide for a wide range of sizes through its features of adjustability.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for use in loosening and removing container covers.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dependable and long lived apparatus for the above named purpose.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and useful apparatus for operating upon container covers which may be manufactured of readily available materials in an economical manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus, including a base member having a plurality of substantially parallel receptacles and a pair of elongated object gripping members adapted to be removably disposed in selected pairs of receptacles and to frictionally engage the sides of the receptacles when an object is disposed intermediate the gripping members, for operating on container covers and the like.

These and other more detailed and specific objects, will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in phantom, of one embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of FIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 taken along section line 3--3.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along section line 55 of FIG. 3.

Briefly, the invention consists of a pair of gripping members of rod like configuration which may be adjustably attached to a base or frame member so that they may be positioned in substantially coplanar relationship with an intervening space therebetween approximately that of a container cover to be operated upon. A container, and its cover, may be inserted between the gripping members and the opposite ends of the gripping members engaged by the hand of an operator and moved in a direction toward one another to frictionally hold the container cover therebetween. The container then may be turned to loosen or remove the cover.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 5 in which like elements may be identified by like reference characters, there is shown a base member 10 having a plurality of receptacles or holes 11, positioned axially along the front surface and top surfaces. As will be explained below the holes are suitably dimensioned to coact with the engaging extremities of the gripping members. Receptacles 11, positioned in the top surface of the base member, may be provided at a suitable angle to allow suficient clearance when working up to a wall as illustrated in FIG. 1. The distances between the receptacles 11 are chosen to provide a suitable range of adjustability of the apparatus to allow for its use with containers of varying sizes. A plurality of suction cups 20, 21 and 22 are shown fastened to one surface of the base member through suitable attaching means and may be utilized to securely hold the apparatus to a working surface. Other means of holding the apparatus may be utilized in carrying out the principles of the present invention.

A pair of gripping members 12 and 15 are of generally elongated shape and have knurled hand engaging portions 14 and 17, threaded frictional article engaging sur faces and 16 and frictional base member engaging surfaces 19 and 18 respectively. Gripping members 12 and 15 may be inserted, as shown, into appropriate receptacles 11 which results in a spaced apart coplanar relationship between the gripping members.

Operation The operation of the apparatus described above is reasonably clearly shown in the drawings. The gripping members 12 and 15 are positioned so that a container member 24 on container 23 may be positioned therebetween to engage the frictional article engaging surfaces 130 and 16'. The container cover 24- may be positioned so as to abut base member 10 or at some intermediate position. Application of a force through an operators hand to the extremities 14 and 17 of gripping members 12 and 15 results in the container cover 24 being held securely therebetween. In FIG. 4 the directions of the arrows are indicative of forces set up by the application of pressure to the end extremities 14 and 17. The forces cause engagement of the sides of receptacles 11 with the frictional surface 18. Upon rotation of the container, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2, further forces are set up in the directions of the arrows at the left-hand end of the members 12 and 15. The frictional engagement of surface 19 of member 12, as illustrated above in connection with FIG. 4, resists and overcomes the force due to the applied torque tending to lift member 12 out of its receptacle 11. It has been noted that considerable force may be exerted in applying a torque to container 23 to successfully remove a firmly secured cover.

It has been found convenient to provide a knurled surface, or its equivalent, upon the hand engaging portions 14 and 17 on gripping members 12 and 15. Further, the inherent resiliency of the construction of gripping members 12 and 15 is believed to aid in the engagement of frictional surfaces 18 and 19 with the walls of the receptacles 11 into which they are inserted and also to provide the operator with a certain amount of latitude in the force applied between the extremities of the gripping members. It has also been noted that the provision of a threaded construction for frictional surfaces 130 and 16 contributes to the usefulness of the apparatus in that a continuous 360 degree operating and wearing surface is provided.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A screw top remover comprising; a base member including a plurality of substantially parallel receptacles positioned at predetermined locations therein; and a pair of gripping members having portions adapted for coaction with said receptacles whereby said gripping members may be positioned therein in parallelism with the axes of said receptacles and securely retained against axial movement therebetween upon engagement with an article disposed intermediate said gripping members.

2. A screw top remover comprising; a base member including a plurality of receptacles axially positioned at predetermined locations therein; and a pair of resilient gripping members having portions thereof for frictionally engaging an article and having portions adapted for coaction with said receptacles whereby said gripping members may be positioned in spaced article receiving relationship therein to extend axially therefrom and be securely retained against axial movement therebetween upon engagement with an article disposed intermediate said gripping members.

3-. A screw top remover comprising; a base member including a plurality of receptacles axially positioned therein; and a pair of gripping members having article l engaging portions and end portions including surfaces adapted to provide frictional resistance to axial movement upon disposition in a receptacle whereby said gripping members may be adjustably positioned therein to extend axially therefrom and be securely retained upon engagement with an article therebetween.

4. A screw top remover comprising; a base member including a plurality of receptacles axially positioned at predetermined locations therein; and a pair of gripping members, each having a threaded article engaging portion and an end configured to engage and grip the sides of a receptacle, for insertion into said receptacles to extend axially therefrom whereby said gripping members may be positioned in spaced coplanar relationship therein and securely retained against axial movement out of said receptacles upon engagement with an article therebetween.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,818,400 8/1931 James et a1. 81-332 2,811,062 10/1957 Robertson 8144 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SCREW TOP REMOVER COMPRISING; A BASE MEMBER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RECEPTACLES POSITIONED AT PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS THEREIN; AND A PAIR OF GRIPPING MEMBERS HAVING PORTIONS ADAPTED FOR COACTION WITH SAID RECEPTACLES WHEREBY SAID GRIPPING MEMBERS MAY BE POSITIONED THEREIN IN PARALLELISM WITH THE AXES OF SAID RECEPTACLES AND SECURELY RETAINED AGAINST AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN UPON ENGAGEMENT WITH AN ARTICLE DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE SAID GRIPPING MEMBERS. 